Tranquil Settlement

Man-O-War Cay is where people go to get away from other people.  Barely a quarter mile wide and just over two miles in length, this tiny island is dotted with lovely recreational villas that overlook the sea.  It is also the home of the Albury clan, who settled on this island as United Empire Loyalists over two centuries ago.  Their deeply-rooted religious beliefs and a desire to be left alone has resulted in an extremely quiet island that has remained dry - that’s right, no alcohol is sold anywhere here.  Ensure that your liquor cabinet is stocked and the cooler full before entering this anchorage.  There are more churches per capita on this island than any place one earth.  It is not a place to come to party.

Getting There

This is always fun.

You have a choice of two anchorages, however you must pass through an extremely narrow channel to get to either of them.  There appears to be an entrance to the northwest, however that is barely passably by dinghy, so don’t even think about it.

The channel entrance is located just to the north of the waypoint at N 26° 35.287' W 77° 00.227'.  Before setting your autopilot and heading directly for that waypoint, be sure that you navigate around Garden and Sandy Cays, low-lying islands that blend into the background.  The entrance to Man-O-War is marked by a white light on top of a white structure on the left shore.  Stay in the center and go right in.  You will need a watch carefully to ensure that no commercial traffic is exiting at the same time.  There is room for only one boat at a time and the Albury Ferry has been known to leave the channel at commercial speeds.

Once you pass through the entrance, turn right for the South Channel, left for the North Channel.

Two Harbors

You have the choice of quiet, or extra-quiet.

The North Man-O-War Channel is actually formed by the presence of Dickie’s Cay and is the commercial centre of the island.  The Albury Ferry dock is located in this harbor, as is the Man-O-War Marina and Edwin’s Boat Yard.  The harbor is pretty well consumed by boats on moorings, so finding a place to anchor is next to impossible.  Take an empty mooring and sort it out later - Man-O-War Marina owns a number of them and make them available for a reasonable charge.  You could also opt for a slip at the marina.  The only advantage to the North Channel is the close proximity to the settlement, however that advantage is really called into question when you realize how sparse that settlement really is.

The South Man-O-War Channel is a tight harbor full of boats at anchor or on moorings, however there is always room for another anchor.  There is a shortage of places to come ashore because the trees line the shore all around.  You have the choice of two privately-owned docks or a fifteen-minute dinghy ride into the settlement in the North Channel.  There is nothing here but peace and quiet.  You can tell by the type of boats at anchor that this is the place that long-term cruisers hole up for weeks at a time.

The Settlement

The Settlement can hardly be called a town.  As with most settlements in the Abacos, it lacks a clearly-defined centre, as most of the commercial enterprises are scattered about.

The Man-O-War Marina has a number of facilities including slips, laundry, ice, videotape rental, and a book exchange.  The Pavilion Restaurant is right on the water and like most restaurants in the Abacos, it never seems to have any patrons.  They do not accept credit cards.

Main Street follows the harbor but you will have difficulty identifying it as a centre of anything.  There are a few commercial enterprises worth noting.  Edwin’s Boat Yard (yards #1 and #2) is located right “downtown” and has earned an international reputation for quality work.  Stop in to Albury Brothers Boat Building to have a look at the construction of their 23-foot centre-cockpit open fishing boats.  Featuring clean and simple lines, the construction of these vessels is world-class.  Joe’s Studio, featuring fine hand-crafted items made by none other than Joe Albury, is always worth a look.   Albury’s Harbor Grocery is well stocked and right on the water, as is Man-O-War Hardware and Building Supply.  Two other restaurants exist in town, Ena’s Place and Hibiscus Cafe.

If you want fresh bread delivered right to you, ask for Lola.  She will hop into her golf cart and deliver it anywhere on the island.

A Walk About

This is the real reason you come to Man-O-War, for a walk around the island.  Starting on Main Street, follow the road to the northeast.  You will pass some lovely villas that boast some of the most unique landscaping you will ever see.  It is possible to walk to the extreme northeast tip of the island, but not before crossing a narrow strip of rock that actually forms the road.

Double back and work your way to the ocean side of the island using any of the roads or paths.  Lovely deserted beaches of golden sand and pounding surf await you.  The island graveyard is located near the shore and is particularly interesting with its mix of sand and tall coconut trees.

As you work your way to the south part of the island, you will be treated to some of the most exquisite and unique villas you will ever see.  Be sure to note the “doorbell,” essentially a bell located at the foot of the walkway.  The further south you travel, the more basic the road becomes, until it ends essentially as a narrow path.  It follows the South Channel, however the dense foliage offers very few views of the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man-O-War Webcam

The Man-O-War Marina has set up a webcam that provides a view of settlement harbor to the world over the Internet.  The image is updated every hour.

         Click on the image above to go to the latest webcam photo